Posts Tagged ‘Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail’

The City of Westminster is an attractive historic community with lots of southern charm. Strolling down Main Street notice the many hand painted quilt blocks that line the street. The newest additions are the eight new quilt blocks in the downtown area. Four of the quilt blocks are located in the historic Depot parking lot; these 2ft. x 2ft. blocks are replicas of quilts made by local residents. The other four 1ft x 1ft blocks are located on power boxes on East Main Street.

Quilt #242 A: Claudia’s Star
The South Carolina Star is the creation of Claudia Spearman. The pattern comes from The Quilter’s Cache by Marcia Hohn. Claudia is a longtime resident of Westminster. We’re proud to include her quilt. Claudia plans to make a pillow from her quilt block, and her mother will hand quilt the piece.

Quilt #242 B: Denise’s Design
Denise McCormick is an avid quilter and already has two UHQT quilt blocks in town. This quilt is a Sassafras Lane design. Check out her other blocks—one on the depot and one across from the water tower. Although not a native of Westminster, Denise and her husband have lived here for many years and are very active in the town. They love this area and are proud to call it home.

Quilt #242 C: Paige’s Star
Paige Price, also a lifelong resident of Westminster, likes to quilt when she can work it into her busy schedule with the school system. The design on her quilt block is a pattern called Lindy’s Star by Linda Hayes.

Quilt #242 D: Rebecca’s Star
Also a lifelong resident, Rebecca’s Star is part of a quilt Beckie DeFoor finished several years ago. Bright, vivid colors are the hallmark of this quilt. Now retired from the school system, ‘Beckie’ spends lots of time at her sewing machine. She is also very active in the painting of the quilt blocks with the Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail.

Quilt #243
The four 1ft. x 1ft. quilt blocks on Main Street were the inspiration of Sandy Brockington. She thought the power boxes on Main Street were unattractive and organized a group to commission the UHQT to paint quilt blocks for them. These ‘flowers’ are part of a quilt entitled, “The Garden Club” from Smith Street Designs. The quilter, Beckie DeFoor is proud to have her quilt represented.

Local residents including residents Kathy Barker, Sandy Brockington, Beckie DeFoor, Denise McCormick, Kathy Smith, and Mildred Spearman who helped the artists on the quilt trail paint these beautiful quilt blocks. The citizens of Westminster contributed to the funding to support this project.

There are currently 144 quilts on the Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail in Oconee County. Westminster is proud to have 24 of them within the town limits on their walking/driving trail. In addition, another 13 quilt blocks are sprinkled throughout the Westminster area.

For additional information on the City of Westminster, Oconee County Oconee County and latest updates and interactive map visit (www.uhqt.org).

The Diamond W Farm in SE Anderson County at 352 George Brock Road is a century old homestead. In the 1920’s, the farm was purchased by Jasper Ashley, whose family maintained the house and outbuildings until the 1970’s. Jasper’s children, Gary and Millie – together with her husband- farmed the land until Jasper’s death in 1948. The land then passed to Millie and then eventually to her son, Pascal Brock. Millie and her husband passed in the early 1970’s.

Pascal chose to rent the farm to Merle and Grace Hershberger in 1978. They have lived there for 40 years where they raised two children and provided a home for 32 foster children. On December 17, 2012, Austin Wood purchased the farm from Pascal Brock. The Hershbergers maintained a residence in the farmhouse. Merle passed in 2018, but Grace still lives there.

The small barn where the quilt block is displayed was used for storage of seed. Storage sheds on either side of the barn have been replaced and the barn itself refurbished. Conservation practices have been implemented on the farm to protect the environment and make the land more productive.

The quilt block was designed and sewn by Grace Hershberger. It features 4 separate blocks designed and sewn by Ms. Hershberger. Each block is framed by red and blue sashing and features the red, white and blue theme. Three of the blocks’ centers feature a small square surrounded by contrasting designs while the fourth block’s center is a diamond – again with contrasting designs on the red and blue fabric.

Grace has quilted much of her life and chose cheerful colors and designs which will contrast with the hundred+ year old barn and be visible for some distance.

# 241 Hummingbird

Serenity at Sunset, an alternative and holistic health service at 321 East Main Street in Pickens is the location of Hummingbird. Proprietress Lyn Hatton selected Hummingbird with its nature theme for inclusion in the Pickens Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail. It is a fitting choice for her business that aims to be “a place of serenity for all to enjoy.” Hummingbird is one of the Pickens area quilt blocks sponsored through a grant provided by the Pickens County A-tax Commission. The grant was secured by Kim Smagala of the Greater Pickens Chamber of Commerce.

Hummingbird is UHQT’s interpretation of quilter Joy DuBois’ jewel-toned wall hanging of a hummingbird in flight. Joy says she especially loves the tiny hummingbirds that are native to the Upstate and has multiple feeders on her property in Seneca. She wanted to make a quilt featuring the birds but was unsuccessful in finding a suitable pattern. While fabric shopping with her daughter she found a kit for this small quilt that included the appliqué pattern as well as the bright, jewel-toned batiks that make this such a vibrant, visually appealing quilt. The quilt is machine appliquéd and machine quilted. Joy has been quilting for at least thirty years. She is a member of Lake and Mountain Quilters Guild as well as Upcountry Quilters Guild. She is a talented, prolific quilter and a number of her quilts are represented on the Quilt Trail throughout Pickens and Oconee Counties.

“Out of the Box”, located on the old Walhalla Depot at 211 South College Street in Walhalla, SC, is a “Giant Dahlia” quilt modeled after one made by master quilter Jenny Grobusky of Walhalla. The Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail sponsored this block and has donated it to the City of Walhalla in honor of Jenny Grobuski’s contributions to the upstate quilting community and to the communities of Oconee County.

Grobuski gave her version of this classic 20th century pattern an “out of the ordinary” twist by centering its dahlia medallion below, rather than on, the quilt’s mid-line—hence its name, Out of the Box. Jenny said she made this quilt for herself and wanted the entire dahlia to be on the middle of the bed instead of over the pillows where its symmetry would be distorted.

The Giant Dahlia quilt pattern was developed in America sometime in the early half of the 20th century. There are competing claims as to its original designer. One reference attributes the pattern to Hubert ver Mehren of Des Moines, Iowa. Beginning in the mid-20’s, his company called Home Arts Studio sold stamped textiles for embroidery and eventually sold patchwork and medallion quilt patterns. (http://willywonkyquilts.blogspot.com./2016/11/the-giant-dahlia.html). Quilt historian Ginny Beyer notes that the pattern was originally published in 1933 in the Des Moines Register. Finally, it has been suggested that the dahlia pattern may have been inspired by the designs in Rose windows found at the front of churches and cathedrals. (https://amishspirit.com/country-quilts/)

The Giant Dahlia is constructed of sixteen gently curving arcs radiating out from a small Dresden plate center. This complex pattern is not at all typical of traditional quilt piecing. There are no squares or triangles incorporated into the pattern. Instead, each arc is composed of distorted four-sided shapes that look a bit like misshapen squares someone tugged out of alignment. Each side of the shape is a slight convex or concave curve. As the dahlia grows out from the center, the pieces of the arc increase in size proportionally. Even the most experienced quilters find this pattern challenging. Extremely precise piecing is a necessity in order to create a truly spherical completed “dahlia.” Jenny machine pieced and machine quilted “Out of the Box”. This beautifully constructed quilt is a testimony to her exceptional skills as a quilter.

Grobuski is a prolific quilter and her work is distinguished by the vibrancy of its color. “Out of the Box” juxtaposes batiks in warm orange and red-orange against cool aqua, violet, and blue. The medallion is surrounded by a royal blue background and seems to glow as if it’s lit from within. “Out of the Box” won 2nd place in its category at the 2006 Lake and Mountain Quilters Guild show.

Born in Walhalla in 1923, Grobuski lives in the Walhalla community where she worked and raised her five children. Before taking up quilting in 1993, Jenny spent much of her life using her talents as a seamstress. She was instrumental in forming a quilting club in Walhalla called Stitchin’ Friends and was on the steering committee of the Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail. She has been generous with her time and talents as demonstrated when she organized quilters in 2005 to make quilts for Hurricane Katrina victims. More than 200 quilts were donated to the relief effort.

Grobuski has been an active member of Lake and Mountain Quilters Guild. It is her unique, custom constructed quilt that covers a PT Cruiser outside each of LMQG’s quilt shows. She is a faithful member of St. Francis Catholic Church in Walhalla.

The City of Walhalla chose the old Walhalla Depot as the location for this block because of its historic significance to the city. The depot was built in 1887 by renowned Walhalla builder Otto Kaufmann, whose father John Kaufmann built St. John’s Lutheran Church. According to the Rev. George Shealy’s book Walhalla: The Garden of the Gods, the first train arrived at the new depot at 5 p.m. on November 14, 1887. It was located near the intersection of South Broad and College streets, where the Mountain Lakes Convention & Visitors Bureau and Walhalla Chamber of Commerce building stands today. The depot was given to the City of Walhalla by Norfolk-Southern Railroad Company in 1987 after they discontinued train service to Walhalla. The city moved it to its present site where it now serves as the focal point of the Walhalla Depot Park, also known as Kaufmann Square. For additional information about the Depot and Kaufmann Park visit (http://www.walhalladepot.com/).

#235 Fire and Ice

“Fire and Ice” is the first quilt block chosen by the Pickens County selection committee and financed by the Pickens County A-tax Commission grant to the Pickens County Area Chamber of Commerce. This multi-colored modern quilt graces the building of Domino’s Pizza at 102 East Main Street in downtown Pickens. Domino’s owner Scott Carrick fell in love with it and requested it for his location. The original quilt was made by Seneca quilter Libby Carter. She chose the quilt’s colors because they reminded her of beautiful Upstate South Carolina—the blues of our lakes and waters and the vivid oranges that represent the lovely fall foliage of the mountains. The quilt is primarily composed of batik fabrics. It was longarm quilted in the “Splashing” pattern by Libby’s friend, E. Ann Ewald of Dragonfly Designs. A version of this quilt was featured in the June 2008 edition of McCall’s Quilting. Libby’s placement of the orange batiks against the calmer blues creates a pleasing balance between energy and tranquility.

Carter has been quilting for approximately twenty years but has sewn in one form or another for much of her life. She considers herself a traditional quilter but enjoys all forms of quiltmaking and fabric craft. That is what inspired her to own a quilt shop with her sister for seven and a half years in Georgia before moving to South Carolina. Carter is a member of the Lake and Mountain Quilters Guild.

#236 Rhythm and Hues

“Rhythm and Hues” is located at 112 Main Street, next to the outdoor amphitheater on Rt.183 in downtown Pickens. It was funded by an A-tax grant written by Kim Smagala, director of the Greater Pickens Chamber of Commerce. According to Kim, “Rhythm and Hues” was chosen because it captured the essence of the Pickens community with its outdoor musical amphitheater and its vibrant Young Appalachian Musicians Program.

“Rhythm and Hues” is the unique creation of art quilter Jean Wachs. This quilt was made in 2016 for the Lake & Mountain Quilters Guild Show whose theme was “Symphony of Quilts.” Wachs said music has always been an important part of her life. Since she played the guitar when she was younger, it seemed like the perfect subject for the show. She used a clip art image which she enlarged, then modified, adding vibrant color and design to portray the music she imagined coming from the guitar.

All of the fabrics used in the quilt were 100% cotton, either batiks or hand dyed. Each piece was fused in place, then appliqued and quilted using free motion on her domestic machine. She sculpted copper wire to form the bridge, rayon gimp thread for the strings and small metal hooks for the tuning pegs. Wachs’ strong color composition of red, blue, yellow and green imbue the quilt with intense energy. The colors practically dance from the quilt.

“Rhythm and Hues” won first place at the quilt show in the pictorial category. It was not listed as being for sale, but during the show a lady called Wachs, inquiring about purchasing it. She eventually sold it to the woman, following a commitment to exhibit it with the art group Thread Heads at the Belton Art Center a few months later.

Wachs began sewing when she was in high school but did not take up quilting until 2006. Although she has done some traditional quilting, art quilting for wall display is her passion. In recent years, her focus has been on portrait and pictorial compositions.

Flowers Among Friends – a series of four small floral-themed quilt blocks – grace the front pillars of Westminster’s historic Moon’s Drug Store. Beckie Harper DeFoor, Kathy Collins Smith and Jerry Smith sponsored these lovely blocks to commemorate their lifelong friendship of fifty years. The blocks are reproductions of four quilt squares included in Beckie DeFoor’s original quilt of the same name, a quilt she made to celebrate their special friendship. Inspiration for Beckie’s quilt came from several small embroidery pieces included in Laura’s Fantasy Flowers. Local quilter and instructor Cheryl Keith edited and digitized the designs for computer assisted embroidery. The warm, sunny color scheme of oranges and yellow against a black background add of a touch of folk art to the facade of Moon’s Drug Store founded in 1901. The four blocks were painted by Beckie DeFoor, Kathy Smith, and Kathy and Jerry’s daughter Whitney Jones with the help of Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail’s Production Team.
Rebecca DeFoor with quilts

Kathy Smith and Rebecca DeFoor painting quilt blocks

Whitney Jones, Beckie DeFoor and Kathy Smith

223 DOUBLE WEDDING RING

The Nix family has lived in the Six Mile area for generations. The house and barn on the property now owned by Dean & Jennie Nix dates back to 1911. Dean’s grandfather was a blacksmith, and he and his wife, Clara had three sets of twins. James, their son, and his wife, Pauline bought the farm from his parents in 1950 and cared for Clara until her death.

The quilt dates back to the 1920s to 1930s, and was pieced and machine quilted, most likely by Bette Alexander, Pauline’s mother. The fabric used in the quilt is unusual for a Double Wedding Ring in that it consists of only two colors, red and grey. It appears to be of fabric referred to as Sea Island cotton, a fine cotton hand-spun and woven, the bright, red color most likely was hand-dyed as well. It is hand stitched on the finished quilt with threads taken from old flour sacks, proving not only the thriftiness of this family, but also how the art was handed down from generation to generation. It is believed that Pauline and her sisters were likely involved in learning how to quilt as children by hand stitching the flour sack threads!

Jennie and Dean Nix are now the owners and keepers of the family farm. The quilt is installed on the old barn, that can be seen across the farm’s field from the road. Jennie continues to carry on the rich tradition of quilting in the family and hopes to have one of her beautiful quilts transformed into a quilt block on the property soon.

The barn and painted quilt block are located at 1281 Mile Creek Road Six Mile, SC.

The Birchwood Center, off Highway 11 in the far northern part of the Pickens County, SC, was the recipient of a quilt block sponsored through the Pickens County ATAX Grant awarded to the Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail.

The Birchwood Center for Art and Folk Life was founded in 2000 by Dot Jackson, Gayle Edwards, Tom Johnson, and Starkey Flythe to promote and enhance the study and awareness of the Arts and Humanities in this region. Their mission is to provide a free place to be used as a comfortable sanctuary or retreat to inspire creativity and enhance learning across the curriculum of Arts and Folk Life. To this end, they have provided a variety of mostly free programs and activities to the public throughout the years. The Bear’s Paw block was placed on the Masters-Southerland House located on the Birchwood Center’s property in the mountains of northern Pickens County, SC, with Table Rock State Park as a backdrop.

The Bear’s Paw Quilt Block was chosen to represent the spirit and mission of the Birchwood Center. In the stories about the Underground Railroad, the Bear Paw was the symbol for a refuge for the slaves to find shelter, food, and safety. One of the founders, Dot Jackson, wrote a prize winning novel, Refuge. While the novel has nothing to do with the Birchwood Center, the title is a reminder of our mission and for the Bear’s Paw symbol on the Underground Railroad.

The Brown Bear is a native to this region and is a popular part of the local culture. In the Native American Spirit world and other mythology, the bear’s extreme power, size, courage, tenacity, confidence, and intelligence along with a touch of curiosity, mother-cub family connections, its gentle nature topped with a splash of cuteness has earned it the following title: The Great Protector and Defender of the peoples’ safety, and their freedom and resourcefulness to create a better life. The bear allows the people to be free to safely create a better life for themselves and their families. The Native Americans also believed that the bear was a messenger for dreams and visions. The Birchwood Board feels that all people who contribute positively to our history and the Arts share most of the bear’s characteristics.

Dot Jackson was a wonderful storyteller and told some wonderful tales about her bear encounters. Several tales were about a bear who loved snooping around at the Birchwood Center. We believe he just loved being around Dot. During the restoration of the Masters-Southerland House, Dot lived in a trailer on the property. After several sightings, that bear (or one bearing a striking resemblance) decided to snoop around under the trailer (called “Paradise” by Dot). It tore off some underpinning on the backside of Paradise and crawled in during the dead of the night. Dot woke to loud bumping noises and much shaking under her bedroom floor. This continued until he got settled in to rest. The bear must have decided that living close to Dot was a good thing. It bumped around under the floor anytime of the day or night. When was it going to come on in for a visit? Dot was concerned that the floor would collapse bringing down a wall. She never knew if that bear was lurking around outside. Dot was not sleeping well. The bear was happy. Dot was NOT. Somebody had to go! You know it was not going to be our feisty, fearless Dot. After a while, someone (maybe Dennis Chastain) volunteered to lure Dot’s bear out from his den under Paradise. He was taken to a more suitable home somewhere in the mountains. Dot was happy. The bear probably missed Dot.

One foggy morning at the Birchwood Center, Dot woke from a deep sleep in the comfort of Paradise to the sounds of loud grunting and other strange noises. She made her way to a front window to peer out in the direction of the noises but could see nothing unusual through the fog. When it got light enough, Dot came out to check out the area of the earlier noise. Well, she found a bear in her car and most of the contents thrown out onto the wet grass! Now, Dot was a lot like that Bear in that she was courageous, fearless, tenacious, and a protector (of her car) so she proceeded to try to get rid of her unwanted passenger. The intruder shared these traits so he was not moving out of her car. Dot was upset. The bear seemed pleased with himself. Since she was not supremely strong like the bear, Dot just went back into Paradise to call for help. In a few minutes she saw the bear slowly getting out of her car carrying the precious red bag that had gone with her everywhere for years. She was sorry to lose it but the bear looked so funny carrying that red bag slowly through the woods like he knew he had something important to take home. Dot could not help laughing at that memory even as she was looking at the mess he had made inside the car. Those paws could do some major damage!

The memories of Dot’s bear tales, along with the symbolism of the Bear, the popularity of this block in the local history, and with the original idea for the Birchwood Center, made choosing the Bear Paw a perfect choice. The Bear Paw Quilt Block represents the traditional quilt block and the colors chosen represent the new modern colors used today. Much of the material used in the block has light, softened dots in the background to represent our late Dot Jackson who was one of our cherished founders of the Birchwood Center.

The traditional Bear Paw with the modern, brightly colored materials comprised of contrasting muted backgrounds came together to make a beautiful quilt block for the Birchwood Center for the Arts and Folk Life. The square was created by Linda Blakeney, who met with the Birchwood’s Board of Directors to choose both the pattern and colors.

For more than 40 years, Lynn Brill of Anderson, SC, has been crafting quilts and perfecting her unique creations. After a stroke in January 2012, Lynn lost the use of her right arm. However, with an extension for her machine and the will to learn a new way to continue her quilting, she still makes beautiful quilts and wins ribbons in quilting shows. She and her husband, Glenn, have decided to honor her love of quilting with an UHQT block on their home.

The block chosen by Lynn is Autumn Compass and is a blaze of the glorious colors of autumn, Lynn’s favorite season. Adapted from several quilt designs, Lynn’s Autumn Compass was created in a class by Lynn Kirsch of Racine, Wisconsin. The circle for the Mariner’s Compass was created by drawing a circle around a pizza pan, then divided into quarters, eighths, and sixteenths to make paper foundations. After the compass was completed, it was hand appliqued onto the quilt. The border, comprised of a quilting technique called flying geese, is in greens, rust and gold. Because the Horicon Marsh in Wisconsin is a stopping place for thousands of Canadian geese each fall, Lynn decided to incorporate the flying geese into the border.

The block was installed above the garage door of their Anderson home in celebration of Lynn’s 70th birthday.

#221 Bursting in Air

Bursting in Air is a variation of the classic Greek Square quilt block. It is located on the Six Mile Farmers Market, once the site of the town’s volunteer fire department. This patriotic-themed block was sponsored through a Pickens County Accommodations Tax grant awarded to the Greater Pickens County Chamber of Commerce. Kim Smagala, Director and the Chamber selected Six Mile to receive this block to enhance the cluster of quilts already in the area.

When the town of Six Mile was contacted with the news that they had been chosen to receive a quilt block, Mayor Roy Stoddard chose this red, white and blue block to honor the four Congressional Medal of Honor recipients who grew up in the Six Mile and Liberty communities. It will serve as a reminder of the bravery and sacrifice of these men, who gave their all for their country. They are: Furman D. Smith, US Army, medal awarded January 17, 1945; William McWhorter, US Army, medal awarded September 27, 1945; Charles H. Barker, US Army, medal awarded June 13, 1955; James D. Howe, US Marines, medal awarded September 15, 1971. The stories of these men and their heroism can be found on the town of Six Mile’s website at (www.sixmilesc.org).

This patriotic themed square is modeled after one that quilter Doris Land included in a sampler quilt made for her son Karl Tubbs. Doris acquired the fabric and pattern for this square from Viking Sew ‘n’ Quilt, now in Maulden, SC, when she completed one of the Carolina Shop Hops. That year twelve quilt shops in the region participated, each offering its own pattern and fabric packet to use in a patriotic themed quilt. Doris was relatively new to quilting and assumed that all she had to do with each packet was sew the pre-cut pieces together. To her surprise, there were no little squares, triangles, and rectangles cut and ready to sew in the packet—just large strips of fabric and the directions for cutting. She laughs at her beginner’s mistake.

After joining a quilt guild she learned about their efforts to make Quilts of Valor for veterans. She was inspired to use her Shop Hop squares in a Quilt of Valor for her son Karl who served with the Army National Guard in the Iraq war. Doris’s sampler quilt uses the squares, including Bursting in Air, to frame a center Lone Star medallion. The quilt is machine pieced and machine quilted.

Doris resides in Pickens County and belongs to the Upcountry Quilters Guild and the Swamp Rabbit Guild in Traveler’s Rest.

Experienced quilters will recognize Ida Bell Nelson Turner’s lovely, complex quilt as an example of the Drunkard’s Path pattern. This is one of the more challenging quilt blocks to construct because of its curved piecing and complicated block layout. Turner’s quilt is distinguished by its intricate arrangement of blocks and its balanced placement of color. Its block layout is more complicated than other common arrangements. Its bright early 20th century fabrics make this Drunkard’s Path an especially cheerful quilt.

Turner likely made this quilt sometime after 1920 while living with her husband, Newman Sebastian Turner, in Pike County, AL. She lived in close proximity to her many relatives and friends who joined with her to complete quilts for each other. Turner’s granddaughter Diann Simms—the owner of this quilt and sponsor of this block—says Ida told her she used to “put the pieces together” and then family and friends would gather and quilt. According to Turner, not everyone in the group got a completed quilt each year. They “took turn about.” While Ida’s quilt is admired for its beauty and craftsmanship today, its original purpose was covering beds and keeping warm. Like many quilts of the early 20th century, this quilt is backed with bright yellow fabric. The quilt top has a border of blue and bright yellow.

The Drunkard’s Path’s zig zag pattern of curved pieces resembles the path a drunk might walk after a night of drinking. Some quilt historians note that the Drunkard’s Path pattern was popular among quilters during the nation’s experiment with Prohibition. These historians believe that women who supported the temperance movement may have used this pattern to express their support of the anti-alcohol cause. There is, however, some disagreement among quilt historians about the theory’s validity. Turner’s granddaughter Diann doubts that her grandmother made this quilt as a political statement but thinks she’d have found its name, Drunkard’s Path, funny since Ida abstained from alcohol all her life.

Turner was born in 1880 and died in 1966. She is buried near Shelhorn, AL. This quilt block is located at 66 Oleander Drive, Anderson, SC.

For further information about the Quilt Trail call 864/723-6603 or visit (www.uhqt.org).

Three Pickens County quilt blocks were installed at Holly Springs Center and School of Mountain Arts,120 School House Road in Pickens, SC.

#43, Churn Dash
The Churn Dash pattern, also known as Hole in the Barn Door, has been in continuous use in South Carolina for over 150 years. Quilt makers enjoy combining the triangles and rectangles into nine-patch blocks, and the association of the pattern with the old-fashioned “churn dasher” used to turn milk into butter, adds to its appeal.

The quilt created by Jeannette Moody and members of the Upcountry Quilt Guild and was crafted during Heritage Days at the Hagood Mill. The original quilt is a feed sack quilt. Block fabric is from feed sack muslin. Border and sash are 100% cotton print and the backing is mill cloth. This quilt was made for the Hagood Mill raffle in 2001-2002. This painted panel was originally installed on the Old Theater building at 4 Front Street in downtown Liberty and sponsored through a grant from the Mountain Lakes Region of the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor and the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor. It was moved in the spring to Holly Springs Center and School of Mountain Arts.

#217 Fence Posts
The quilt panel is a gift from the Upstate Heritage Quilt Trail, Fence Posts, to the Center. This quilt was chosen by Abby Holcombe Baker, Executive Director for the center, and was made by her great-grandmother.

The pattern, Fence Posts, also known as Interlocked Squares, was first named in 1932 by Edna Marie Dunn in the Kansas City Star. Other names are 4 Part Strip Block (ca. 1948), Roman Square (ca. 1974) and Spirit of St. Louis (ca.1934). The moniker, Fence Posts was first used in 1973. This pattern is frequently made as a scrappy quilt, as was this one, according to Abby’s mom, Roslyn Denise Cantrell Holcombe, whose grandmother, Pansy Elizabeth Townes Cantrell, was the original quilter. Pansy made quilts out of scraps of material that her daughter-in-law, Linda Gail Cassell Cantrell, had left over from making clothes for herself and her daughter, Roslyn. This quilt was on Linda’s bed when she passed in May 2017. She kept it folded over her feet, but with the top edge within reach, in case she got a chill during the night.

Pansy was known to the family as Granny Cantrell, and often gave quilts to the family members for Christmas gifts, made from scraps saved by Linda Cantrell. Granny Cantrell raised five daughters; Janette, Julia, Nancy, Joyce and Lilly Mae, and one son, W.A. Cantrell who was Roslyn’s father. All the children in the family attended Holly Springs Elementary School. Granny Cantrell also had ten grandchildren, (six of which attended Holly Springs), and two great-grandchildren before she passed away in 1994. She gave the two great-grandchildren, Kade Pittman McConnell and Abigail Elizabeth Holcombe Baker, their quilts the Christmas before she passed away.

Granny Cantrell often devised quilts with special designs that related to the recipient’s interests. W.A. got one that featured a two horse-drawn wagon, pieced out of fabric scraps. Roslyn’s brother got one with a Jeep on it. There was a particular fabric in the painted replica of the Fence Posts quilt that Roslyn recognized as coming from a blouse made for her as a child, and the second red flowered border from a pair of shorts! The depth of detail felt in this Fence Posts quilt still doesn’t compare to the sentimental value to the family the quilt holds in each stitch.

#218 Fifty-Four Forty or Fight, a pattern first published in Practical Needlework, (ca. 1906), is also known as Grandma’s Star and was designed by Clara Stone. This design has been sewn throughout the 20th century and was selected by quilter Anne Fields Hall to create a quilt for her sister, Jane Fields Chastain, on the occasion of Jane’s fortieth birthday. Jane was born in 1954, the same year Holly Springs Elementary School moved to this “new” building in the Holly Springs community, just south of Highway 11 in Pickens County.

Jane was a veteran of 31 years as a Kindergarten teacher at Holly Springs Elementary, long enough to teach the children of students she taught in her early years. Jane holds the Holly Springs community very dear to her heart and was moved after her retirement and the closing of the school to donate a replica of the quilt to the new Holly Springs Center. The block was installed on the outside wall of the former Kindergarten room where Jane taught so many children.

The term “Fifty-Four Forty or Fight” referred to the dispute between the US and Canada in the 1840’s over the northern boundary of the Oregon Territory and the Pacific Northwest. In 1844 the presidential candidate, James Polk won the election against Henry Clay with this slogan that asserted that the US had a valid claim to the entire Oregon Country up to Russian America at parallel 54 degrees 40 minutes north. Polk’s plan, as a promoter of manifest destiny, was to claim the entire region, go to war with the British, then get control of Texas and California.

For further information about the Quilt Trail call 864/723-6603 or visit (www.uhqt.org).

The UHQT’s latest addition to the Trail in Pickens County is number 216 an 8×8 rendition of the traditional 1930s Puss-in-a-Corner quilt pattern, also known as Kansas City Star and Puss in Boots (1935). The design was also featured in the Aunt Martha series of Quilt Designs, ca. 1952. The quilt block is located at 446 Dacusville Highway Easley, SC.

This gorgeous family quilt was made by Hattie Porter Willis, nee Rampey, who was born and grew up in Liberty, SC. She created this quilt in 1954 with assistance from her sisters and friends who gathered after church services or when they were visiting the family to complete this piece. The quilt, when completed, was gifted to Wallace, (Hattie’s grandson), and Faye Rogers, on the occasion of their wedding. Wallace was also born in Liberty and then moved to Easley after his marriage.

Since that time, the quilt has been handed down to Wallace’s son, Bart Rogers, and his wife Kim. It is installed on a small barn on their property in Easley, SC. This property on Dacusville Highway was originally a grist mill owned by the father of Sarah Hamilton. Two of the millstones from the grist mill are displayed at the Hagood Mill in Pickens County. Sarah Hamilton gifted the property, as well as other parcels to the Easley Baptist Hospital. The Rogers, Bart & Kim purchased the property from the hospital in March of 2015 and have lived there with their family since that date. The old farm is adjacent to the Easley Baptist Park and Walking Trail and the block can be viewed from the park.

For further information about the Quilt Trail call 864/723-6603 or visit (www.uhqt.org).

The 213th quilt block “Mai’aIho Lena – Our Beautiful Land” is inspired by the traditional quilts of Hawaii and is based on a quilt made by well-known local fiber artist Bonnie Ouellette. This block is found at Gateway Arts Center, 213 E. Windsor Street, Westminster, SC, and was commissioned by the Gateway Arts Council.

Ouellette’s first trip to Hawaii inspired her fascination with the special art of Hawaiian quilting. She has since traveled to Hawaii more than thirty times and has great respect for the artistry and skill of native quilters. Traditional Hawaiian quilts are generally characterized by their symmetrical designs which reflect the unique natural elements of the islands. Her quilt incorporates the ulu—breadfruit—into its design. The breadfruit is one of the foods that sustained Polynesian travelers on their remarkable ocean journeys. Generally, these quilts are constructed of a colored solid fabric (often green or red) on a white background. Modern quilters, however, such as Ouellette, sometimes deviate from this tradition. An elaborate design is cut from the colored fabric, much the way paper snowflakes are cut from a single sheet of paper. Then the fabric design is sewn to the background fabric using the needle-turn appliqué method. Finally, the piece is completed by echo quilting around the appliqué. In the true Hawaiian tradition, “Mai’aIho Lena – Our Beautiful Land”, is completely hand-sewn and hand-quilted and incorporates Bonnie’s own hand-dyed fabrics.

It is fitting that the Gateway Arts Council has chosen Bonnie Ouellette’s work for this quilt block. Her skill as a fiber artist is well recognized throughout the Upstate art and quilting community. She is best known for her often whimsical and heavily beaded art quilts. Ouellette is a member of a number of fiber art groups, including Thread Heads and Hi Fiber and her creative spirit continues to nurture the art community. Her work has traveled throughout the United States as well as internationally and has been featured in fiber art magazines such as Quilting Arts.

Melody and Alan Davis, owners of Gateway Arts Center where this block is located, are, like Ouellette, active promoters of the arts in Oconee County and the Upstate. They are pleased to have her work displayed on their building.

The hand painted quilt block was installed on the front of the Gateway Arts Center in Westminster, SC.

Announcing #215 “Around the World”

The view of Ernest and Flo Riley’s porch at 21 Westwind Court, Seneca, SC, has been enhanced by the addition of an historic, painted quilt block. A small, framed piece of the original quilt, created in the 1930s by Flo Riley’s grandmother, Mary Beardon, hangs in the dining room of the home. Mary was born and raised in Horse Cove, NC. She met and married a builder and farmer, William Walker from Oakway, (Seneca).

This quilt was pieced in a star pattern, stuffed with cotton grown on the family farm and carded by hand. Quilting was done at a Quilting Bee, where Mary was assisted by her Aunt Ella Beardon and others. Mary was noted for her hot gingerbread with lemon sauce and locust brew. She also played violin, banjo, guitar and piano.

This quilt was certified and archived by the South Carolina State Museum during the time period from 1983-85, when the McKissick Museum at the University of South Carolina sent out a call for historic quilts from throughout the state. All the accepted quilts received were cataloged; stating maker, material, date and pattern at that time. Pattern names included Trip Around the World, Bow Tie and Sands of Time. After the certification, this quilt was cut up, framed and given to each of Mary’s eleven grandchildren by the aunts of the family and keepers of the quilt, Helen and Flora Beardon in the 1990’s.

The framed artifact now graces the home of E, (Ernest) and Flo, (Flora Helen) Riley. “E” has retired from a teaching, (History), and administration career in the Oconee County Schools, as well as serving on Seneca City Council for a number of years. Flo, grand-daughter of the original quilter, Mary Hill Beardon, was the Executive Director of the Michelin Career Center at Clemson University.

For further information about the Quilt Trail call 864/723-6603 or visit (www.uhqt.org).